The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-05-14
Florida Letter.

FlOr1da Letter.
For the Republican.
10 one at your distance, good friend
Hayden, it no doubt seems there
should be no lack of interesting SUBJ
Jects at any time to fill a newspaper
letter from our "Land of Florida"
This thought may well apply to one
who makes the writing of such let
tiers business but with the toiIer il
is different. A cloudless sky, balmy
and fragrant atmosphere, vocal groves
and broad, placid or tossing river,
make indeed, delightful morning
picture, on an average, six times in
the week and one who were senti-
mentally inclined, might readily find
in these inspiration for many a flow
cry efusion. Historically, too. as
we'll as statistically and GEOGRAPHICALLY,
the State is full, from the seabOard to
Gulf, and from Georgia TO the Keys,
of subjects of absorbing interest. But
to gather and arrange data of these
sorts, requires leisure and means be-
yond what have so far found at my
command.
TO live within a few miles of the
very spot of all this vast continent,
on which first, almost four centuries
ago, the eyes of white man rested |;
to be within a short hours railroad
run from the oldest town in Amer
lea within less than score miles of
the booming ocean, and a beach of
worldwide fame, and less than a
dozen rods from the most charming
river in all this Southland, the Red
mans beautiful and beloved WeLacka
(chain of lakes): to walk and work
daily amid the brightness of this
southern sun, in the society ofswarms
of our bright-colored and sweet
voiced birds and to look nightly
upon such canopy of splendor as
now sparkles above me-all this is a
living and ceaseless delight. But to
know these things. to look upon
them, to live daily in their presence,
is one thing TO make Hrt1ag in the
midst of them, is another thing.
We are all busy down here. If you
know a man in Garrett county who
thinks he is the worker, of all others,
trot him down this way for a week
or two: if l do not "match" him,
then you may count me out. BY the
way, Mr.. Frank Strawn, from Min
eral Springs, your county, is now
with me, trying his hand on the hoe
and AK. J. M. Daniels, of the Cove,
has been here, was pleased, and is
now at home, making arrangements
to come to stag, in the early autumn.
1t would not surprise me to see sew
eral other "Coyers'-and of the best
among them-come along with him.
[ have just concluded the purchase
of $4,000 home for a friend in Can
ada, who expects to locate before
another winter. From Toledo, o.,
one of our worthy d. DIS is coming
to join NE July LIST. M. M. SchrOck
and family are well, and rapidly de-
veloping into regular orange-grow-
ing, sun-browned Floridians. Sand
is beginning to stick to their shoes,
and we opine that they will stick to
the st. Johns.
Now l wish, Captain. you could
spend an hour with me tomorrow
morning, looking at my vegetables,
l could show you melons on the
vines; tomatoes ready to blush red
at an April sun; corn almost to your
shoulders. and just showing tassle;
sweet potatoe vines crawling off their
ridges, with Irish potatoes ripe, cab
bages, snap beans, turnips, &C., &C.,
on the table, including ripe dew
berries and mulberries Added to
all this, | can say, we are we'll
Once more let me warn your read
ers against that miserable st. An
dreW's Bay swindle. Only last even
ing l received letter from an old
Pa. friend, 0ery poor man. who
says: 81 have five lots there-they
were giUen to me, but it cost me Sc
for building plans, and deed rec
ords." One of my Garrett acounty
friends wrote me much to the same
effect. only two weeks ago. Why.
will people be so humbuged
Viva Ia Republican!
Fraternally,
j. B. SHoUP.
Switzerland, Fla, 10Th April, '97.